Human Resources Network

• Co-chairs: Ms. Martha Helena Lopez (UN Secretariat), Mr. David Bearfield (UNDP), Ms. Jennifer Linkins (UNESCO)
• Alternates: Ms. Catty Bennet Sattler (UNHCR), Mr. Peter Frobel (IAEA)
• Reporting to: High-Level Committee on Management
• Meeting frequency: Twice a year

The HR Network (HRN) brings together Directors of human resources departments from over thirty UN and related organizations at its biannual meetings.

HRN provides strategic advice and leadership in the management of human resources, focusing on specific strategic issues of interest to human resources Directors, as well as preparing views and proposals to the HLCM and ICSC and liaises with the federations of staff associations. HRN facilitates initiatives for harmonizing and reforming human resources business practices and through enhancing and facilitating inter-agency mobility.

HRN has two major roles:

• to provide strategic advice to the Chief Executives of the United Nations system on human resources management developments, ensuring best practices across the system and;
• to prepare, on behalf of the Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), input and exchange with the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), which is responsible for the regulation and coordination of the conditions of service of the United Nations common system. This role supports the management of its programme of work; HRN also conducts its work in a variety of standing and ad-hoc working groups.

Ad-hoc working groups currently supporting HRN include the following:

• the Field Group, which is a standing committee focused on field working conditions (chaired by UNDP)